The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry

I received this book as a gift three Christmases ago. It has only now reached to top of my '2do list'. I am enjoying it immensely.

I was surprised to read the following in this book:

"Every child is musical. Unfortunately this natural gift is squelched before it has time to develop. From all my life experience I remember being laughed at because my voice and the words I sang didn't please someone. My second grade teacher, Miss Stone would not let me sing with the rest of the class because she judged my voice as not musical and she said that I threw the class of key. I believed her which led to the blockage of my appreciation of music and blocked my ability to write poetry... So writes one Sidney Madwed."

I know too well of what Sidney Madwed writes. Since I was the only child singled out in my class for this type of abuse, I felt very embarrassed. I had never heard this happening to any other child in my school. Victims cloak their shame in silence or jest. I realise now that it was not I who was lacking but she.

So if you've got children, sing with them. Fill your life with laughter, acceptance and joy. We all improve with practice.

Photo: Christmas concert at a kindergarten, Latvia.